Tuition and Fees at Private Law Schools Break $40K Mark, on Average

Tuition and fees at law schools continue to increase, topping $40,000 on average this year at private law schools, according to an examination of published rates.

The National Law Journal did the analysis and found that tuition and fees are outpacing inflation at both private and public law schools this year. The increase was about 4 percent at private schools and about 6 percent for in-state residents at public schools. The increases are distributed among both higher- and lower-ranked schools.

Average tuition and fees are about $40,585 at private schools and about $23,590 at private schools, the story says. The numbers are climbing despite a cumulative drop in law school applicants of about 25 percent during the last two years.

Some students are benefiting, however, because law schools are increasing scholarship cash along with their tuition rates. An analysis by University of St. Thomas law professor Jerome Organ found that average tuition increased 36 percent from 2006 to 2011, while the average median scholarship increased 45 percent. According to the story, the schools are creating a “Reverse Robin Hood” situation in which students with the lowest credentials pay tuition and subsidize the costs of those who outperform them.